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Bright Young Things

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Bright Young Things

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• Comedy
• Drama

• 2003
• Stephen Fry
• 101 mins
• 15

Summary

Period comedy drama directed by Stephen Fry and starring Stephen Campbell Moore and Emily Mortimer. In 1930s England, a group of feckless young socialites party their lives away while the storm clouds of the Second World War gather about them.

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Review

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Adam Smith

This adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's classic novel Vile Bodies (renamed to spare American sensibilities, apparently) is a solid enough directorial debut from Stephen Fry. Waugh's tale of inter-war youthful plutocrats engaging in endless partying and occasional spasms of self-loathing has been semi-faithfully transferred to the screen by a sterling cast. Stephen Campbell Moore stars as Adam Symes, a frustrated writer who sets out to marry his girlfriend Nina Blount (Emily Mortimer), but it's Fenella Woolgar who really shines as ditzy, doomed socialite Agatha Runcible. There's solid support from the likes of Simon Callow and Jim Broadbent who ham it up pleasingly as comic support. But, inevitably, some of Waugh's finely wrought style evaporates in the transfer and the film drags occasionally as a result. And, despite Fry's claims that the film is relevant to our celebrity-sodden times, the overall effect is like gazing at a set of characters trapped inside a museum case, leaving you with the vague uncertainty as to why anyone bothered.

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6.5/10

How to watch

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Streaming

• Prime Video
• Sky Store

Credits

Cast

rolenameAdam Fenwick-SymesStephen Campbell MooreNina BlountEmily MortimerAgatha RuncibleFenella WoolgarLord Simon BalcairnJames McAvoyMilesMichael SheenGingerDavid TennantArchieGuy HenryLord MonomarkDan AykroydDrunken MajorJim BroadbentKing of AnatoliaSimon CallowChief Customs OfficerJim CarterMrs Melrose ApeStockard ChanningFr RothschildRichard E GrantLottie CrumpJulia McKenzieGentleman at partyJohn MillsColonel BlountPeter O'TooleLady MetrolandHarriet WalterSir James BrownBill PatersonLady BrownImelda StauntonLady ThrobbingMargaret TyzackLord MetrolandNicholas Le PrevostTaxi driverNigel PlanerHouse agentMark GatissChauffeurStephen FryCustoms officerAdrian ScarboroughSneath (photo-rat)Simon McBurney

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Crew

rolenameDirectorStephen Fry

Details

Theatrical distributor

Icon

Released on

2003-10-03

Languages

English

Guidance

Drug abuse.

Available on

video and DVD

Formats

Colour

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